


Doom

by 18lzytwner



Series: ThunderCats Third Series [7]
Category: Thundercats (1985)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2019-07-05 04:51:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 13,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15856569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/18lzytwner/pseuds/18lzytwner
Summary: Ta-She is back and this time she's brought a friend. Can the ThunderCats stop her before it's too late? What will shock them all when the Princess's abilities make themselves known?





	1. Chapter 1

Weeks passed since the arrest of Char and despite the heightened security, most Thunderians couldn't help but feel nervous. The silence had probably made it worse but Lion-O had refused to relax any of the precautions because they had yet to get confirmation of anything. Char had snapped out of his trance, though no one could figure out how, and had been talking to the Evil Chasers. They regrettably confirmed that Ta-She was in fact on the loose and Char swore up and down that he did not kill Shiner or his men.

In the meantime, the repairs to the Lair had been completed. Mandora had been ordered to remain on New Thundera by the High Command and Alexei had put in a call to Mars seeing if they would be willing to offer assistance to the ThunderCats should they need it. President Mwende had extended his offer of assistance and promised to inform President Zhukov of the Russian's situation.

Tygra and Pumyra had run a battery of tests and discovered that the Evil Chasers and their FSB companion had been exposed to radiation and while they were not poisoned as Punthar and the ThunderGuard had been, it had been enough to make them very weak and sick. It took a few weeks before they felt better and the extended stay in the Med Bay had been trying but they were all grateful. The crew had been picked up and shipped home while Mandora and Alexei stayed behind. Now the two gathered with the ThunderCats, Pali, and Pali's parents, to celebrate their colleagues' newly found good health.

"We have a special guest this evening," Lion-O said as he stood from his chair in the large dining room.

"You've been teasing us all day. Who is it?" Mandora asked. The lion chuckled and the large doors opened to reveal President Zhukov and President Kachi from Mars.

"Old friends, it is good to see you again," Lion-O smiled as they entered the room.

"We are most delighted to be here," Zhukov smiled back.

"I could not pass up the chance to see my family," Kachi smiled as well before heading to Pali and his parents. They hugged, delighted to see each other again.

"Sir," Alexei saluted his President.

"At ease, Alexei. I come here as a friend, not as a president, though I have a feeling we may need me in that capacity as well," Zhukov said.

"Myself included though I do not think for much longer," Kachi started.

"What do you mean?" Cheetara asked.

"My term as President is up next month and I will join my people in supporting the next leader of our Tribe," he explained.

"We would be honored to have you join us here on New Thundera, brother," Pali's father, Natastachi, said.

"And I would be honored to join you brother," Kachi smiled slightly, knowing that they would need to discuss particulars later.

"Dinner is served!" Snarf announced as Thunderian Culinary School students wheeled in the meal for the evening. Lion-O was the only one privy to the knowledge that this was the students' final exam and he hoped that they did Snarf proud.

"To friends and family together again and to our continued alliances," Lion-O raised his glass of Thunderian brandy in a toast. They all sat down to dinner and enjoyed. As the night was wrapping up Zhukov pulled Alexei aside and they spoke for a few minutes while Mandora moved to speak with Pali and his family.

"A nice quiet evening," Panthro smiled. The words were barely out of his mouth when the Lair's alarms went off.

"You had to say it," Lea shook her head.


	2. Chapter 2

"What's the situation Punthar?" Lion-O asked as he entered the Control Room, the ThunderCats and their allies were right behind him.

"A message from Evil Chaser High Command for everyone, not just Mandora," the puma explained.

"Pull it up," the King nodded. Punthar pushed the buttons and up on the screen came Commander Basil of Evil Chaser High Command.

"Commander!" Mandora and Pali saluted.

"At ease. Good evening everyone. I am sorry to interrupt your evening but I felt you should know as soon as possible," Basil said.

"Know what?" Lion-O asked.

"Captain Shiner and his crew were dumped at a Space Station just an hour ago. Half of them were dead and the other half are barely holding on. They aren't strong enough to talk yet so I'm afraid that we have no idea how they got there or why," the Commander explained.

"Ta-She has never been one for murder. She'll control you or even have you kill yourself but she'd never do it directly," Panthro spoke up.

"How did they die Commander?" Tygra wanted to know.

"Undetermined, as of yet. We're sending a team to assist the Space Station crew as we speak," Basil said.

"Thank you for the heads up. Whatever Ta-She and her accomplice wanted, they must have gotten it," Lion-O heaved a sigh.

"That would be my guess. Although what it is, we don't know until we can get one of the crew or Shiner to talk," Basil nodded.

"Well that's a scary thought," Cheetara shook her head.

"You aren't kidding your Highness. We're sending Evil Chasers to assist you. Battle Cruiser one-eight-zero-one is headed in your direction under the command of Captain Tiberius," Basil told them.

"Much obliged Commander. We'll let you know when they get here. Please keep us informed regarding Shiner," Lion-O said.

"Yes your Highness," with that the call ended and everyone turned toward Mandora.

"Tiberius is a good man. I've known him for years. What I suggest now is sleep, if we can manage it," the Evil Chaser said.

"Yeah, sure," Lea shook her head.

"Punthar, who is in after your shift?" Lion-O asked the puma.

"WilyKat at midnight sir," he replied.

"All right. Good. I'll bring him up to speed now, thank you," the lion said.

"Yes sir," Punthar nodded and the group started to head back out into the hallway. President Zhukov turned to Queen Cheetara and asked if he may make a call to Mars to alert them of the situation and if he could meet privately with her and Lion-O, once he was done. She assured him that he could and told him where to find Lion-O's office.

About thirty minutes later, the three convened in the King's Office and both ThunderCats wondered what the Russian leader had to say. He came in carrying a couple of bags and the two looked at each other.

"First, as proper Russian tradition states, we must start this off with a good shot of vodka," Zhukov smiled and pulled out a bottle from one of the bags.

"Alexei has been clamoring for some," Lion-O chuckled.

"I brought some for him too. He says that Thunderian brandy is like water. I think his problem is that the vodka was safer to drink as a child than the water," Zhukov chuckled.

"That doesn't sound good for his health," Cheetara said as she pulled some glasses out of the cupboard behind Lion-O.

"He grew up in an area where the clean water wasn't always guaranteed. We've corrected the problem thanks to your scientists' suggestions," Zhukov smiled.

"Then what else have you go there?" Lion-O wondered.

"These are for little Sahara and Leo. I heard about what happened to the littlest one. How is she?" The Russian wanted to know.

"Stronger than her parents. You wouldn't even know that she had her ankle amputated," Cheetara admitted.

"Well I have the latest in Russian technology in this prosthetic. Lord Tygra and Lady Pumyra helped us with the dimensions and we think she'll be able to run as fast as her mother without wearing out the foot so often," he winked and handed the bag to the cheetah.

"There aren't any words to say how much this means to us and to her. Thank you," Cheetara smiled as she looked inside of the bag.

"You're most welcome. Russia has not begun to pay you all back for everything you have done for us. This is the least we could do. I am afraid that Leo's present is a little more boring but I hope he'll like it," Zhukov smiled and handed the last bag to Lion-O. The lion looked inside and saw that it was a light up disc.

"Very popular in Moscow. The disc lights up and acts like a boomerang for playing by yourself or will change modes so you can play with friends, more like a Frisbee. Also he can load music onto it so it will play music while playing catch," the President explained.

"He will love it," the lion smiled.

"Excellent! Then we drink and then we talk business," Zhukov smiled back.


	3. Chapter 3

"Tiberius is about four hours out," Mandora told Lion-O as they sat down to breakfast.

"Good. I have concerns and I'd like to discuss them with him and you and Pali of course," the King said.

"You can count me in on that meeting," Cheetara spoke up. The lion had taken a seat next to her at the breakfast table and she was keeping an eye on the children.

"Oh I would like to have everyone at the meeting. The Captain will want to meet all of you and get to know the situation more fully. He likes to have all the pieces on the game board so he knows what is at his disposal," Mandora explained.

"Is he your boss?" Lea wanted to know.

"Not quite. His rank allows him to command the battlecruiser and his crew but really his job is twofold. He must be ready for action at a moment's notice but given the ship's capabilities, he can be sent on fact-finding missions as we expand our knowledge of the universe. They just got back from one of those missions which is probably they are on patrol duty now.

"So getting back to your question, if I were to join him and his crew on the ship, he would be in command. My rank however would be equal on his ship. Once on the ground in a situation such as this, I would be command," the Evil Chaser explained.

"Does that lead to confusion?" Panthro wondered.

"Not really. His crew, are beneath both him and myself in rank, so when I give an order, it is as if he is giving one. When situations get hairy, it is always the job of the Captain to order his crew. Usually, that means, I take point but allow him to give orders. No matter whose operation it is, the Captain will always know his ship and crew better than I ever could," she said.

"I'm guessing you interacting, doesn't happen very often," Tygra spoke up.

"No. It is quite rare because I call for backup and would usually get Pali or Officer Shay. We only call in the big guns when we have stuff like this going on," Mandora admitted.

"Do you feel that Mommy?" Sahara suddenly interrupted the adults.

"Feel…" Cheetara didn't get a chance to finish her thought when she grabbed the side of her head.

"Tara!" Lion-O jumped out of his seat and grabbed his wife.

"It's Ta-She! She's near!" The cheetah cried as she squeezed her eyes shut, the pain in her head would not allow her to open them. Panthro went to the doorway of the room and pressed the red alert button on the door's control panel on the wall. The Lair alarms activated and everyone inside headed for their battle stations.

"How is she doing this to you?" Lion-O was utterly confused.

"I don't know!" His wife managed before she passed out from the pain. He scooped her up and rushed down to the Med Bay with Pumyra on his heels, while Snarf took Sahara and Leo to the safety of their room.

"What have we got?" WilyKit asked as everyone piled into the Control Room.

"Somehow Ta-She is messing with Cheetara. We don't know how but she has to be close by," Panthro said.

"Oh not good. Well the scans haven't picked up any ships approaching our atmosphere and I don't have any outages on the satellites," Kit told them. Just then the internal communications system crackled to life.

"We need help down here! Cheetara is attacking!" Everyone looked at each other before charging out of the Control Room and then down toward the Med Bay. When they arrived, they could see Lion-O trying not to use the Sword on his wife while she swung her Bo-Staff at him.

"What in the hell…" Lea couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Hell is where I will be sending you," Cheetara's eyes glowed and she lunged toward the lioness.


	4. Chapter 4

Lion-O grabbed his wife and held her before she got to his half-sister. Cheetara fought and clawed at him, trying to break free from her husband's arms. Pumyra lunged at her in a flash and sunk a needle full of sedative into the cheetah's hide. Pushing the plunger, the puma sent the sedative into the Queen's body and she went limp.

"Get her into a bed and strap her down! Bring me a suture kit!" Pumyra yelled for the nurses' aides. Quickly two of them took the unconscious cheetah to the nearest secure room and bed and Nurse Ling brought a suture kit.

"She got you good Lion-O," Tygra was examining the shocked lion. Cheetara's claws had scratched his forearms and she'd gotten a piece of his face, leaving claw marks behind. The face marks were not bleeding but his forearms were.

"What happened? I didn't think Ta-She was that powerful," Lea said.

"She isn't," Panthro said, shaking his head.

"I'm getting on the horn to Captain Tiberius. He needs to get here as fast as that ship will go," Mandora told them before ducking back out of the Med Bay.

"So doesn't that confirm your suspicions that she's working with someone else?" Cavan asked as she helped Pumyra clean up the mess that the cheetah had made out of the area where Lion-O had first set her down on the bed. Li-en was pitching in as well while Ben-Gali picked up the no discarded Bo-Staff.

"It certainly does. Since Mumm-Ra no longer exists we have to assume that it is Zaxx giving Ta-She some sort of power boost," Lion-O spoke up as Tygra shot some numbing medication into his wounds so he could stitch them up.

"We heard the red alert alarms. What's going on?" President Zhukov asked as he and Lynx-O entered the Med Bay.

"Ta-She is somehow here or she's close by. Somehow she possessed Cheetara and tried to kill Lion-O and then me. We have her sedated in the other room," Lea explained.

"That doesn't sound good," Zhukov admitted.

"It isn't. Lynx-O, do you think you could summon Wizz-Ra?" Panthro wondered.

"I might be blind but I don't have the ability to summon someone from the seventh dimension," the lynx pointed out.

"Well we can't exactly wake Cheetara up and ask her to do it. Do you think you could use the Book of Omens to do it?" The panther clarified.

"Could be but we might not need to go that far," Lynx-O said.

"Sahara," Lion-O murmured.

"Precisely my King. She felt Ta-She and she can command the Sword. I know she's young but more than once she's proven that that does not matter. Wizz-Ra had a special connection with Cheetara, so it would make sense that Sahara may share that connection," he told them.

"As much as I hate to admit it, he's right," Tygra said while concentrating on his work. Lion-O frowned. Wizz-Ra was a good ally but the way he looked at Cheetara made the lion irrationally jealous. There was that and then having to ask his daughter for so much at such a young age. He figured she'd lost her innocence and she hadn't even finished kindergarten yet.

"See what you can do," the King told him.

"I'm on it," Lynx-O promised.

"And I'm going to make a call to Mars. We need to see if we can get assistance here as quickly as possible," Zhukov spoke up.

"Hold off on that my friend. If Ta-She is nearby, she'll try to take control of your male troops. With the Evil Chasers already en-route, I would hate to put anyone from Mars in jeopardy. I'm hoping that Captain Tiberius, will keep his ship off world to hopefully avoid a disaster," Lion-O smiled despite the fact that the numbing medication was starting to wear off and he could feel Tygra pulling his skin back together with the stitches.

"All right but at least let me ask about troops on standby," the Russian said.

"That would be a great idea," the lion smiled. That's when the Lair alarms sounded again.

"BATTLE STATIONS! RED ALERT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!" Punthar's voice came over the loudspeakers.

"Oh not good," Lea said.


	5. Chapter 5

"What the hell is going on?" Lea asked, barging into the Control Room. Ben-Gali, Li-en, Cavan, Panthro, and Zhukov had followed her while Lynx-O and Pali went to find Sahara. Lion-O had given her the Sword of Omens and Claw Shield as Tygra was still stitching him up.

"I never got to make the call to Tiberius. We've got incoming," Mandora pointed to the screen and that's when the lioness saw what she meant. Five ships had just made it past the early warning system and would be within firing range of the Lair in a matter of minutes.

"Mutants!" Lea hissed.

"I tried opening a channel and contacting them but no dice," Punthar said.

"Sound the alarm in the capital! All civilians to the bomb shelters!" The lioness ordered.

"Done!" Punthar pushed the button and the air raid sirens sounded. Lea then pushed the open communication button on the large board in front of the puma.

"Calling all stations! Calling all stations! This is Leanna! Mutant bogeys coming in hot! Once they are in range, fire! I repeat, open fire once they are in range! All civilian employees are to evacuate to the bomb shelter immediately!" With that the commands were given and the Lair got ready for battle. Alexei had joined the group inside the Control Room, hoping he could help.

"Punthar get a distress signal to Captain Tiberius and Battle Cruiser one-eight-zero-one. There could be an ambush waiting for him in space," Mandora said.

"Aye aye Mandora," the puma sent a coded message out into space while the Mutant ships advanced.

"Mutants in range in 30 seconds. 20, 10, fire at will! Fire at will! All Lair defenses fire at will!" Leanna barked into the PA system. The Lair shuddered as missiles and lasers shot at the incoming attackers.

"They're firing back but I can't identify the weapon," Punthar announced. The puma was correct as it did not look like the standard laser blaster fire.

"My guess is that Captain Shiner helped with that," Alexei frowned.

"That would make sense," Mandora nodded as one of the missiles hit the Lair and the building shook.

"We can't take too many more hits like that!" Punthar shouted as the control systems started warning of the damage. Before they got a chance to see how bad it was, one of the Mutant ships blew up.

"One down! Four to go!" WilyKit announced. Another ship exploded from a direct hit and the cheering could be heard over the PA system from the team that destroyed it.

"Only three more lads! Give them hell!" Punthar shouted into the loudspeaker and the battle raged on. Another missile struck the Lair and the building once again shook.

"There went the auxiliary power system!" WilyKit announced.

"Shit," Lea cursed under her breath but it was short lived as another Mutant ship went up in flames.

"Two left but they continue to come at us!" Punthar declared.

"Ta-She for sure. She's got them under her spell," Lea clenched her fist and then ran out of the room. Mandora and Alexei looked at each other wondering what the lioness was up to.

Lea ran to the Lion's Head and stood in the mouth of the large cat. She pulled the Sword of Omens from the Claw Shield and raised the blade above her head.

"Thunder, Thunder, Thunder, ThunderCats HO!" The large cat head emerged from the Eye of Thundera and knocked both Mutant ships out of the air. They came crashing down not far from the hangar and the ground troops swarmed in to capture the Mutants. The ship doors opened and the Mutants came out firing their blasters but they were soon overwhelmed by the ThunderGuard and taken into custody.

"Search the ships! Find Ta-She!" Lion-O commanded as he exited the hangar. Tygra had finished stitching him up and he wanted to be there when their enemies were captured. The ThunderGuard did as they were asked by their King only to return empty handed.

"The ships are empty my King," Captain Pau was confused.

"Scan them for body heat. Ta-She must be hiding somewhere," the lion ordered.

"We did sire. She's not here," Pau said.

"How can that be?" Lion-O couldn't believe it.

"I have no idea," the Captain admitted. What neither of them knew was that the clever princess had never been on the Mutant ships. So now as they looked around for her, she slipped into the Lair unnoticed.


	6. Chapter 6

"I know this is a lot to ask Sahara but please try again," Lynx-O pleaded with the Princess.

"I will," the little litah was trying to use her developing sixth sense but she just couldn't reach the sorcerer, Wizz-Ra. Then she felt another presence, the same one she'd felt earlier. Her focus shifted to trying to contact her mother but again to no avail; mostly because Cheetara was still sedated.

"Lynx-O, she's here!" Sahara shouted.

"Who?" He asked.

"That lady that took over mommy!" The little one was starting to lose her cool.

"Here where?" The lynx wanted to know.

"In the Lair!" At that, the elder ThunderCat cursed under his breath and went to the door comm panel. He pressed the room alarm button and Punthar's voice was soon coming through the wall device.

"What's going on Lynx-O?" He asked.

"Sound the perimeter breach alarm. Sahara says that Ta-She is in the building," he was trying to stay calm so as to not upset the little cub but he knew that the others needed to know what was going on.

"On it!" Punthar said and the alarms sounded throughout the Lair. "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" played through the Lair.

"That can't be good," Lea said. She'd made her way down to the hangar and had met up with her brother and other ThunderCats. Panthro got on the horn to Punthar to find out what was going on but all he got was static.

"The Control Room is not answering," the panther grew concerned.

"I'll check it out," Lea still had the Sword and the Claw Shield.

"Not without me you aren't," Lion-O said.

"Find your kids and get them secure. It could be Ta-She and we can't have you turning into a zombie," the lioness pointed out.

"I hate to admit it but she could be right. Ben, help me get the security protocols enacted. We need to lock the Lair down tighter than a drum," the panther said.

"You've got it. Any ideas on how we're supposed to combat Ta-She's Doom Gaze?" The tiger wanted to know.

"I'm working on it but until then all the men need to stay put. The more men she gets her hands on the more of an army she'll create," Panthro frowned.

"Good thing I have the Sword then," Lea winked and headed for the door.

"Wait for me!" Cavan hurried up to the lioness and the two headed out of the door. They made their way down the hall cautiously, when they found Pumyra out in the hallway.

"Figured I'd better check out the Control Room. I received no word from them and I thought it odd," the puma said.

"Is the Med Bay locked down?" Lea asked.

"Oh yes and I left Tygra in charge," she told them.

"Good," Cavan nodded. The puma had recently selected her battle weapon, her personal ThunderCat weapon after much deliberation. Despite having access to any weapon that was new and automatic, she went with the compound bow and arrow. In her spare time she'd spent developing different kinds of arrow heads that would do all manner of things and now she grasped the bow tighter as the three females made their way down to the Control Room.

"Be ready girls," Lea said as they reached the closed door. Under the intruder alert, the door wouldn't open automatically like usual and Lea had to use her override code. Once the doors opened a wave of ThunderGuard soldiers charged at them. Quickly the women worked to not harm the soldiers as they had no control over what they were doing.

"Hold your breath!" Cavan shouted. She released an arrow that sank into the wall and let loose knockout gas. The soldiers nearby fell down but more came after them. They were quickly surrounded and Cavan put an arrow into the floor and more gas escaped. With the ThunderGuard knocked out they forged ahead into the room. There they found WilyKit locked in battle with none other than Ta-She.

"Hang on Kit!" Lea shouted and she ordered the Sword to blast the Egyptian Princess. Ta-She held firm despite the blast and whirled around. She was surprised to be confronted with three females.

"Well well Lion-O certainly has been busy growing his harem," Ta-She narrowed her eyes at them.

"Not exactly," Lea smirked, leveling the Sword at her once again.

"Surrender or suffer the consequences," Pumyra said, her sling at the ready.

"To the likes of you? I think not," Ta-She raised her hands in front of her and sent an energy blast at them. It came as a surprise to the three but they managed to dodge it.

"Seems like you got yourself another pimp. Mumm-Ra was kind enough to share?" Lea threw the insult at the Egyptian.

"You will pay for such insolence!" Ta-She snarled but before she could attack, she suddenly disappeared.

"Where did she go?" Cavan asked.

"I have no idea," Pumyra said.

"You ok Kit?" Lea asked.

"Just a little singed that's all. I'll run a scan for her in the Lair," WilyKit told them.

"Good in the meantime, I'll announce that Ta-She is here on New Thundera," Lea frowned.


	7. Chapter 7

"Why did you pull me out of there?!" Ta-She hissed at her partner in crime. They had landed an escape pod from one of the Mutant ships off in the forest and had so far gone undetected thanks to the sorcerer's abilities.

"Can't have you getting yourself caught. Not yet. We need them confused and distracted. Did you learn anything while you were there?" Zaxx asked.

"Indeed. It would seem that Lion-O is already onto us. He sent a lioness to wield the Sword of Omens. Since my connection with Cheetara was broken, we have to assume that that part of the plan failed. Though I did feel something. It was nothing that I've felt before. I couldn't put my finger on it," Ta-She calmed down slightly.

"A lioness? Fascinating. There were none when I last encountered the ThunderCats but then it would seem that a lot has changed since then," he pointed out.

"Yes it has. Pumyra was there and WilyKit was all grown up. Another puma was with them but again I do not know her name. I think we need to be more cautious. It would seem that I cannot just waltz in there and take command. Not with so many females running about. Especially since one can wield the Sword," Ta-She frowned.

"That does cause a wrinkle but I would not be too worried. I have a plan already forming to get the Sword away from her. Once we do that, the ThunderCats and all their fellow Thunderians will be no match for us," Zaxx smirked.

"The Sword will not respond to your magic, you know that so what kind of trickery do you think you can try?" Ta-She raised an eyebrow.

"It's really quite simple. I zap you back to the Lair; you land inside the lion's room, use your Doom Gaze on him, and then tell him to jump out the window. The landing will be a bit rough but he'll be out of our hair," Zaxx chuckled.

"The death of the King would distract them but it would also make a lot of noise. Perhaps we could kidnap him and you could disguise yourself as Lion-O. Get the Sword and then use it and every other weapon we have at our disposal. After all, I did have Captain Shiner make us this lovely bomb," the ancient Egyptian pointed to the box at her feet. They'd stashed their prize under the control console for landing but she had pulled it out. All she had to do was place it and activate it, then sit back and let the fun begin.

"You might be onto something. I do so love it when your mind is at work," her companion smirked.

"A little distraction could be our explosive friend. Then we strike while they're running around like chickens with their heads cut off. We drain him of all the information we need and then, we kill him. Something awful, something that the Thunderians will never forget," she smiled wickedly at her own idea.

"We should have teamed up years ago darling," the sorcerer smiled himself.

"I agree. We're having way too much fun," Ta-She said. They quickly got down to working out every little detail as the sun sank over the horizon. The ThudnerCats had no idea what was coming.

Meanwhile, at the Lair, Wizz-Ra suddenly appeared in the Med Bay through one of the mirrors. He managed to scare Pumyra half to death as she jumped out of her chair.

"Sweet Jaga's toothbrush!" She grabbed her chest at the sudden sight of him.

"I am sorry to have startled you. I was summoned... where is Cheetara?" He was confused.

"Long story, this way please," the puma smiled and led him down to where the cheetah was.


	8. Chapter 8

"King Lion-O, it is good to see you again but I wish it were under different circumstances," Wizz-Ra smiled and shook the lion's hand. Pumyra had led the ancient Egyptian down to Cheetara's room in the Med Bay.

"Likewise," Lion-O smiled slightly.

"Can I assume that Cheetara did not call to me?" The wizard looked at the unconscious cheetah.

"You can. I'm afraid we needed to use my daughter to reach you. Sahara, this is Wizz-Ra," he introduced the little girl to the man standing next to him. She was sitting next to her mother's bed on the opposite side of her father. Her brother, Leo, had passed out in the chair next to her.

"A pleasure to meet you Princess. Forgive me for not coming sooner. I couldn't make heads or tails of what has been going on and your signal is different than your mother's," Wizz-Ra said.

"Can you help my mommy?" She asked.

"I'll certainly do what I can," he nodded and smiled.

"We think Ta-She somehow got into her head. How that's possible, we have no idea," Lion-O admitted.

"So I'm guessing sedation was the best option? We both know that Ta-She is not one to be trifled with – those scratches on you certainly tell me it wasn't your wife doing the scratching," Wizz-Ra said.

"She certainly wasn't in her right mind," the lion nodded.

"Bring me up to speed and I'll see what I can do. Ta-She's powers shouldn't have grown inside the Astral Prison so she must have help," the wizard frowned.

"We think she was freed with Zaxx when those cultists Mandora ran into accidentally set them loose," Lion-O said before quickly explaining what had been happening and their thoughts on the matter.

"I'm glad you contacted me. With Zaxx possibly on the loose and Mumm-Rana gone forever, it will be up to me to confront him," the wizard said.

"We're not defenseless against him," the lion pointed out.

"You aren't but you cannot send him back to whence he came either. Mumm-Ra's cauldron no longer exists and neither does Mumm-Ra. In order for him to be a solid form, he has to have a body to inhabit. They don't exactly give you one of those in the Astral Prison," Wizz-Ra had a thoughtful look on his face.

"I hadn't thought of that," Lion-O admitted.

"I'm going to need to speak to Mandora. I need to know what spells were used so I can see about counteracting them," the wizard said.

"I'll take you to her," the lion told him before he turned to his kids.

"Sahara, I'll be back in a little while. Find Aunt Pumyra if you need anything, ok?"

"Yes Daddy," Sahara smiled. With that the two left the Med Bay and headed for the Control Room. Cavan was at the controls tonight and she could tell them if Mandora was out and about. When they entered the room, President Zhukov was speaking to Alexei and President Mwende regarding aid to New Thundera and the lion quickly introduced the ancient Egyptian wizard to them before asking anyone if they knew where Mandora was. Before anyone could answer, there was a large explosion followed by the alarms in the Lair sounding.

"What the hell was that?" Alexei asked.

"Ta-She," Wizz-Ra scowled as he could feel the princess' presence.

"And another present from Captain Shiner, I'm guessing," Lion-O clenched his fists.

"Fire on levels three, four, and five! Sprinklers have activated! All emergency personnel respond! All civilians evacuate the building!" Cavan made the announcement over the Lair's systems. She'd barely gotten the words out when another explosion rocked the Lair.


	9. Chapter 9

Cavan awoke the next morning in the hospital. She was trying to remember what had happened but for the life of her she could not. Then panic set in. Where were her husband and her children? Her heart monitor started squawking and a nurse came rushing in.

"Ma'am, please calm down. You're safe. You're at the hospital," the tigress said.

"Where is my family?" Cavan wanted to know.

"Lord Li-en has your children. Just cuts and scrapes. Nothing major," she told her.

"I need to see them," Cavan stressed.

"I will get them for you but you need to take it easy. You got hit on the head by debris and we don't want you opening your stitches," the tigress tried to calm her down again.

"What happened?" The puma asked.

"I don't really know. There were explosions at the Lair and right now they are trying to dig through the rubble to see if anyone is still in there. It could take a few days," the nurse gave her all the information she could. Cavan heaved a sigh and the tigress went out into the hallway. She wasn't gone more than a minute before Liam and Fiona came running into the room followed by Li-en, who was holding Emma.

"Oh my babies," Cavan pulled her two older children to her as they climbed into her hospital bed.

"We were so worried Mom," Fiona was crying.

"I'm just so glad you're safe," Cavan said. She looked up at her husband who was struggling to hold their youngest. The little pumiliger was reaching for her mother and Cavan offered her arms out to little Emma and Li-en helped her get to her. She held onto them as if it was the last time she'd be able to hold onto them. While they weren't looking though, she mouthed to her husband,  _how bad is it?_

 _Bad,_  came the reply and immediately the puma's thoughts went to the other children who lived at the Lair and their parents.

"It's like a regular party in here," the doctor, a lynx, walked in, seeing all the Cats in the room.

"Sorry Doctor," Li-en apologized.

"No need, son. I completely understand, though I do need to borrow mom for a few minutes. There is ice cream waiting down at the nurses' station for some children. I was looking all over for them and if I don't find them soon, we're going to have to call maintenance for a cleanup," the doctor said loud enough for the children to hear.

"Ice cream?" Liam asked.

"Indeed, chocolate and strawberry, or so I'm told," he smiled at them.

"That sounds yummy to me. You guys better get down there before I come looking for some," Cavan told the kids.

"Nurse Shelby is waiting out in the hall to escort you," the doctor said. Li-en took hold of Emma while Fiona and Liam climbed out of the bed. Within a few moments they were out of the room and that let the adults talk for a bit.

"How bad is it Doctor?" Li-en wanted to know.

"Well Lady Cavan will be on her feet in a couple of weeks. That gash on her noggin has me concerned," he admitted.

"Noggin?" Cavan raised an eyebrow and then realized it hurt to do so.

"Sorry, pediatrician by trade. Some habits die hard. I'm Doctor Pho by the way," the lynx smiled.

"Well thank you doctor for looking after my wife and my children. Have you heard any news yet?" Li-en asked, glazing over the fact that the doctor was not used to treating adults. Cavan wanted to ask why he was treating her but she began to worry what the answer would be.

"The doctors from Third Earth should be arriving in a couple of hours. We're going to be very lucky for their help. The number of wounded continues to climb and regrettably so does the number of dead," Pho didn't pull any punches.

"I was right next to Lion-O, Wizz-Ra, President Zhukov, and Alexei when the bombs went off," Cavan said.

"Wizz-Ra saved the Control Room from the worst of it along with Lion-O. Apparently, the Sword and the sorcerer's powers were enough to protect the room long enough for rescue crews to reach you. Then they went in search of the rest of the royals. Cheetara was able to protect the Prince and Princess from the blast and thankfully the Med Bay was easily evacuated because most of the damage occurred up front of the building and the upper floors. Lion-O and the wizard went in to save more of those trapped but no one has seen them since last night," Pho brought them up to speed on what he knew.

"Great Jaga's ghost," Cavan murmured.

"What about the others?" Li-en asked.

"Other than Lion-O and Wizz-Ra, most are accounted for, one way or another, which is good for some and not so much for others. I don't know the actual numbers yet since not everyone has been found and they are not releasing the names of those that passed until they are identified and family notified," Pho explained.

"I need to find out about the other ThunderCats," Li-en said.

"Ask to speak to Doctor Pungali. He wasn't at the Lair when it happened and he's been running things around here," the lynx told them.

"Send the kids in here and I'll keep them occupied," Cavan said. Li-en leaned down and kissed her forehead gingerly.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he promised before heading out the door.


	10. Chapter 10

Lion-O awoke with groan. His head pounded and his whole body hurt. The taste of blood invaded his senses and he spat it out. He figured they were in some sort of a ship since the floor was metal.

"Such uncouth company we have," Ta-She spoke up.

"What did you do?" The lion asked, finding he was tied to a chair.

"Assuming I did something? I am your host. Such poor manners," she smirked.

"Well he can't help it. He's an animal after all," Zaxx pointed out.

"You guys done patting yourselves on the back?" Lion-O asked.

"A good sense of humor though," Ta-She chuckled.

"True but we aren't here to joke. You will help us and then you will die. That's how this will go," Zaxx stood from his seat on the spaceship.

"So what's my incentive?" The lion gave him a look.

"Oh we don't need one," Zaxx chuckled and that's when Ta-She went to work. Lion-O tried to fight it but he could not. Soon he was completely under her spell.

"Now all you have to do is stand there," the ancient Egyptian smirked before turning to her partner.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" She asked.

"My original body is not strong enough to continue. The spell that freed us did not restore the Rosencrest Medallion's full power. I need a strong body to take over. His youth will allow me to function long enough to use the Sword. Once I do that, the ThunderCats will not be able to stop me. Then we will rule this planet together for all eternity," he smiled at her.

"I like the sound of that," Ta-She winked. Zaxx stood in front of Lion-O and placed the Medallion on the lion's neck. He could feel the power surge through him and he quickly took over the lion's body. Suddenly he disappeared into the Medallion.

"Are you there?" Ta-She asked.

"I am, my love," Zaxx smiled using the lion's body as his own.

"How do you feel?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Strong. Now it is time to try out the hands of this body," he said. Ta-She looked on as the ancient force of evil neared his hand to the Sword of Omens. It growled at him and he froze.

"Perhaps the Sword is smarter than we think," Ta-She frowned. Zaxx shook his head and continued reaching for it. He touched the grip and the Sword sent a bolt of electricity through him, almost forcing him out of the body he inhabited. Zaxx quickly let go of the powerful weapon.

"Perhaps you are right. Still we can use this to our advantage. After all, none of the others know it is really me," the evil force said.

"True but we have no idea where Wizz-Ra is and that could pose a problem," Ta-She frowned again.

"Well let's see if we can't play pretend and get lucky with the Wizard. After all, we managed to pull Lion-O out of the pit," Zaxx winked.

"Sounds like a good plan. How long do you have in this body?" She asked.

"Long enough to regain my full strength and soon the Lion-O everyone knows will be gone as I take over his body," he said.

"And the Medallion?" Ta-She wondered.

"Leave it here to protect it. If something happens to it, then I'm in trouble," he explained.

"Then let's see if we can't trick some kitties," Ta-She smirked.


	11. Chapter 11

Cheetara called a meeting of the ThunderCats at the ThunderGuard barracks which lay beyond the damage to the Lair. Night had fallen but that did not stop the rescue crews looking for survivors. Perhaps it had been lucky that the Lair's construction was so sturdy as it had allowed many to be pulled out before a major portion of the damaged building collapsed. The cheetah knew however that at this point, they were digging for bodies and not survivors. Frustrated that they could not call upon their allies for help with Ta-She still on the loose, they did what they had to do as quickly and safely as they could do it but it would not be enough.

"What's the word on Lion-O or Wizz-Ra?" Panthro asked as he entered the barrack's lunchroom. It was much like a school cafeteria but in olive drab colors. The panther had his right leg in a cast up to the middle of his thigh and he leaned heavily on his crutches.

"None. I fear I will have to tell my children and the nation that my husband is dead," Cheetara swallowed hard. The panther placed a hand on her shoulder. Ben-Gali was wheeled into the room by Pumyra. While the puma had escaped with only minor cuts and bruises, her husband had not been so lucky. He had broken ribs, which punctured a lung, and a fractured left arm. The white tiger looked incredibly uncomfortable in the wheelchair but he said nothing and Cheetara suspected that the doctors had advised him against leaving the hospital.

"Tygra is doing rounds at the hospital. He told me to take notes," Pumyra smiled slightly.

"How are Lynx-O and Lak?" Cheetara wanted to know.

"Lynx-O was glad to be visiting Pali's parents when it happened and he's watching over Lak for us. He's still in a coma," Pumyra struggled to say the words and Ben-Gali put a hand on her shoulder. The young cub had been with his father at the time of the explosion and though Ben-Gali had tried to protect him, Lak was still small, and he'd sustained a head wound. It would have been much worse if Ben-Gali had not been there.

"Cavan, I'm surprised to see you," Panthro spoke up as she and Li-en came through the doors. She was leaning heavily on her husband as the floor was moving on her thanks to the concussion.

"And miss this meeting?" She went to shake her head but stopped herself. Li-en pulled out a chair and helped her into it.

"How are the kids?" Cheetara asked.

"Fine. They are with Sahara and Leo under the watchful eye of Snarf," Li-en smiled slightly.

"Sorry, I am late. My parents wanted to be dropped at the hospital. They are keeping an eye on Mandora, Alexei, and Presidents Zhukov and Kachi," Pali said. He limped and his tail had been bandaged but he didn't look too much the worse for wear. The Mutant was tough and he had informed Tiberius of the situation and despite Cheetara's concerns, the Captain and most of his crew had landed on the planet to help with the search for survivors. President Mwende had been informed of the trouble and had sent troops to help guard the airspace around the planet so that New Thundera would not be vulnerable to outside forces.

"How are they?" Cheetara was worried.

"Mandora has a broken right shoulder and broken ribs while Alexei has a nasty head wound as does President Zhukov. President Kachi is in bad shape. They are not sure if he will make it," the Mutant swallowed hard. He considered Kachi to be his Uncle and it hurt to see him in such bad shape. Cheetara offered a concerned look before turning to Panthro,

"Where is your wife? Is she with the children?"

"Lea is on her way. Layna and Milo are still in the Natal Unit being looked after. She's having a hard time leaving them," he explained.

"Are they going to be all right?" The cheetah was concerned.

"The doctors say only time will tell. They breathed in a lot of dust and they have cuts and scrapes," Panthro said. Cheetara nodded and as if she'd heard her name, Lea walked into the room.

"I think all are here who are able," the cheetah said.

"How bad is it?" Cavan asked.

"It's bad. We have two hundred ThunderGuard in the hospital and at least one hundred are confirmed dead. We lost thirty civilians and another thirty are in the hospital. We did not lose any ThunderCats but Lion-O and Wizz-Ra are still missing. I've been told by the rescue site coordinator is that the structure is no longer stable and he will pull all teams off of it, should it start to shift. He feels that one more shift will lead to utter collapse. Once that happens, the Lair will cease to exist and all those trapped inside will be forever buried there," Cheetara stopped, not sure how to continue. Panthro put a hand on her shoulder and she placed her hand over his.

"I have been asked to call to the Sword so that it may be saved and it could possibly give us a location on Lion-O. Or calling for it will cause it to shift the debris and it will…" she couldn't say it but they all knew what she was getting at.

"How long until you have to make a decision?" Lea wanted to know.

"As soon as we're done here. The longer we wait the worse it could be," the cheetah said. Before they could get any further a soldier came running into the room.

"We've found him! We found him!" They all followed the soldier out as quickly as they could, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lion-O.


	12. Chapter 12

Instead what they found was Wizz-Ra. The ancient sorcerer had been pulled from the rubble and he looked bad. Not conscious, he could not answer any of their burning questions as the medical team hauled him off to the hospital.

"Lion-O should be right there! Where is he?" Cheetara was starting to lose her composure as she watched the search teams still digging through the rubble. They had been forced to wait in the cleared area as anyone trying to get over the rubble needed to move slow and steady and most were not in the condition to do so.

"We are still looking my Queen. We will find him," Captain Pau promised and then turned back and began climbing on the rubble again, back toward his soldiers who were still digging.

"Captain, where do you think you are in the relation to the building?" Panthro shouted over to him.

"Hard to say. All the debris is starting to look alike," Pau replied. Suddenly, they all felt the earth move under their feet.

"It's shifting! Get to safety!" One of the soldiers shouted and as quickly as they could, they all retreated as the building started its final collapse. Captain Pau easily made it out as he had not gotten far but it was not so easy for some of the others. Cheetara sped over the debris and grabbed a soldier who was about to fall into the pile and she grabbed a second on her way out. The few others that the ThunderCats could see from their position made it and Pau was on the radio checking in with the others on various parts of the site.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to call it. It's becoming too dangerous for everyone," Captain Tiberius spoke over the radio. His Evil Chasers were safe and they had helped the soldiers get out. There were some injuries to report but everyone was alive.

"I'm calling it. The search is off," Captain Pau relayed. With that, Cheetara collapsed on the ground. Lion-O was gone. They had failed to find him in time. Then off in the distance they heard shouts over the radio but the message was garbled.

"Say again?" Captain Pau asked.

"The King is alive! We found him!" Captain Tiberius shouted over the sound of the ThunderGuard cheering. Pau turned to the medical team and told them to haul butt over there but Cheetara was faster. She had taken off like a shot.

The men parted for her as she approached her husband. He was in bad shape but he was breathing and that was all she could have asked for after just moments ago fearing the worst. The medical team was trying to stabilize him before they moved him and she had to stay back. In the worst way, she had least wanted to touch him, so that she could believe what she was seeing but his care was more important. She didn't ask any questions and followed them as they moved the lion toward the transport bound for the hospital.

"Something isn't right," Captain Tiberius said to Captain Pau as the lynx approached the site a few minutes later.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Forgive me for saying so but your King should have been crushed when the debris shifted. Instead his arm was just there as if it had appeared by magic," Tiberius was thoroughly confused.

"Show me," Pau urged him and the Evil Chaser went over to the spot and one of his men showed them and explained what they had to do to dig him out. They'd easily freed him before Cheetara had gotten over there and though she was a little bit older and had to make the long trip around the site, there was no way they should have had him freed that quickly.

"He looked like the King…" Pau was just as confused now.

"Can this Ta-She change shape?" Tiberius wanted to know.

"I highly doubt it," Pau frowned.

"Maybe I'm crazy then," the Evil Chaser shrugged.

"Crazy like a fox…" the lynx trailed off, an idea suddenly occurring to him.

"Get me to the hospital now!" He shouted to the ThunderGuard nearby.


	13. Chapter 13

Panthro had seen Captain Pau's transport shoot off toward the hospital and he frowned. He turned to his wife who had a similar expression on her face. Before either one could say anything Pumyra spoke up,

"Something isn't right."

"You got that right," Panthro nodded. Lea grabbed the radio that the Captain had left behind and shouted into it,

"I need a transport to the hospital immediately! This is Lady Leanna, all vehicles in the vicinity report to my location now!" Within moments, a transport arrived and landed nearby. The crew exited the vehicle and saluted. Ben-Gali was loaded onto the transport while Lea and Pali brought up the rear.

"We're off to the hospital. ETA two minutes," the Captain announced as the doors were closed. The ThunderCats all looked at each other before Lea took charge telling the Lieutenant that she needed his troops and they were going to have to find the King. She didn't tell them her suspicions, concerned that if she was wrong, it would get ugly quick.

"My Queen, you must listen to me. He is not Lion-O," Captain Pau tried to speak to the cheetah. The doctors were looking at the lion and the two had been forced out into the hallway.

"How can you say that?" She asked; confused at what the lynx was trying to say.

"He should have been buried under the rubble. This has to be a trick by Ta-She," he said.

"No! That is your King in there! Do you think I do not know my own husband?!" Cheetara hissed.

"I do not doubt you do but he should have been buried under the rubble. You said that Ta-She was working with someone. This someone has somehow made it so Lion-O survived the collapse of the Lair. I'm worried for your safety and for the safety of our people," Pau tried to explain his thoughts. Before Cheetara could open her mouth, there was shouting from inside the room where Lion-O was being examined. Then the Sword exited the room going through the shut door and passed the Queen and the Captain. They both looked to see Lea standing there, the Sword firmly grasped in her hands.

"What are you doing?!" The cheetah looked at her.

"He is an imposter, Tara. We have to end this now while he's unconscious," the lioness told her as the ThunderGuard, Pali, and Pumyra were right behind her.

"Have you all lost your minds?" Cheetara asked.

"The question is, have you lost yours?" Lea narrowed her eyes at the cheetah. Was she so ready to believe that the Cat in there was her husband out of relief or was something else going on here?

"Ho!" Lea pointed the Sword in Cheetara's direction and it blasted the Queen with its energy. The Cheetah caught the blast squarely in the chest and she flew backwards onto the floor.

"Lady Leanna! What have you done?" Pau asked but before she could respond, Cheetara was back on her feet.

"That blast should have had you down for the count. Show yourself Ta-She, don't be shy," Lea growled and Cheetara just laughed.

"You are not as stupid as you look lioness," her words were cold and unfeeling and everyone in the hallway stood there completely dumbfounded.

"Almost as stupid as you thinking you could trick us," Lea smirked.

"Oh it would seem that I already have," Ta-She chuckled. There were again shouts from the room where they were examining Lion-O and the door flew open, out walked the King, seemingly all healed from his wounds. He held out his hand toward Lea and all of a sudden, the Sword began to shake in the lioness's hands. She fought the pull and shouted an order to the Sword,

"Ho!" A blast of energy shot out and hit Lion-O, knocking him down, ceasing the pull for the moment. She took the opportunity and shouted once again,

"Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! ThunderCats HO!" The red and black cat symbol blazed a trail for its targets, the King and Queen of New Thundera.


	14. Chapter 14

Cheetara was knocked down and unconscious. Lion-O however withstood the cat symbol and pressed his way toward Lea even though the Sword was trying to force him back. The struggle continued and Lea could feel her arms weakening but she pressed as hard as she could. Suddenly, she felt someone pushing on her back, but she couldn't turn to look. This extra push gave her the courage to push toward the imposter.

"HO!" She shouts and the Sword growls. The cat symbols growls as well and is suddenly reenergized. Still Zaxx pushes forward; his transformation into Lion-O is almost complete, soon the Sword will have no choice but to answer his call. Lea gritted her teeth and held firm, her helper held strong as well but they were both distracted by the sound of Pumyra shouting.

"Ta-She!" The ancient Egyptian Princess had an army behind her of ThunderGuard soldiers and they were heading straight for them. If Zaxx wasn't stopped this could be the end of everything. So Pali squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hands on Lea's back once again.

"For Thundera!" He shouted as the two barreled toward Zaxx. The sorcerer was surprised by the move but he knew that he could not underestimate the ThunderCat and her Mutant ally.

"HO!" Lea commanded the Sword and this time the Sword roared. The cat symbol struck with all the ferocity it had again and this time Zaxx could feel his feet slipping.

Pumyra desperately tried to hold off the soldiers under Ta-She's control but she was one against twenty. Still she fought them off, knowing that she was the last line of defense protecting Lea and Pali. Blaster fire caught her in the arm but she quickly used her sling to knock the Cat off of his feet. Clenching her teeth, she reloaded the sling and fired again. This one hit another target but not before he got another shot off, grazing the puma's leg. She snarled but kept fighting. Then suddenly, she watched as the soldier in front of her was picked up off the ground and flung aside.

"What the…" Pumyra looked around for her next attacker but it seemed that she had in fact defeated them all with the exception of the last one. That's when she spotted Sahara.

"Fear not Pumyra, I have things from here," the little cub spoke and the puma almost had a heart attack.

"Wizz-Ra?" She asked confused as to how this could be happening. She never got her answer however as Ta-She confronted the little tyke.

"Reducing to hiding inside little girl's bodies?" She sneered at Sahara.

"There is nothing little about this girl. Now back you unholy demon! Back to the prison, where you belong!" Sahara lifted her hands and shot energy at the woman.

"Never!" Ta-She hissed, she could not use the powers she had before now back in her original form. Zaxx's powers were concentrated on the Sword and the energy blast hit her as she tried to flee.

"Forever is your sentence! You will serve it!" Sahara shouted then she started speaking in a tongue that Pumyra did not recognize.

"Beloved! Help!" Ta-She called out as a portal opened up right there in the hospital.

"Ta-She!" Zaxx shouted. The moment's distraction was enough and Lea charged with all the strength she had left. The cat symbol knocked the sorcerer down.

"Leave my brother!" Lea commanded. The Sword blasted Lion-O's body with energy and he roared. Zaxx was fighting with every fiber of his being to stay inside the young Cat's body but the Sword finally had the upper hand.

"HO!" Lea commanded one more time and a shockwave went through the hospital, knocking everyone off their feet.

"Nooooooo!" Was the last thing Ta-She said as she was sucked into the portal. Sahara smiled as she watched the Princess disappeared and the portal close. Then she turned her sights on her father and realized that she was the only one standing. The others lay on the floor unconscious, including her father.

"Sword of Omens, come to my hand!" Sahara commanded and the weapon did as it was asking, shrinking down to fit in her small hands. The Sword growled as she moved toward her father.


	15. Chapter 15

"Humans meddling in things they do not understand," Sahara shook her head as she stood over her father. The Sword growled and the Eye grew wide.

"He's still in there isn't he? He doesn't have the Medallion on him," she frowned.

"Wha' 'appened?" Lea slurred as she shook herself awake. Others around her began to do the same and Wizz-Ra feared Lion-O could wake up at any moment.

"I need you to contain Lion-O. Zaxx doesn't have the Rosencrest Medallion on him and I need it to permanently banish him," Sahara told her.

"I have some cuffs. We need a sedative in here!" Pali shouted for medical personnel. Quickly everyone go to work moving the heavy Lion into a hospital bed and restraining him.

"How will we know where to find the Medallion?" Pumyra asked.

"You're going to get checked out first. Then we need to head to my room. Sahara is getting weak from all this activity," Wizz-Ra told them.

"I can't believe she held up this well. She's one tough cookie," Lea said.

"Like her mother, she has more power than she realizes. Speaking of which, where is Cheetara?" Wizz-Ra wanted to know.

"Is anyone else hearing that ringing?" The cheetah asked from her spot on the floor. She's managed to sit up but her hands were over her ears and she looked like she was in pain.

"The psychic resonance from Ta-She. Bring her into my room. Hopefully I can help," Wizz-Ra said. Lea went over to her and helped her up. Pali rushed over as well since Pumyra was getting looked at by the doctors. They made their way down to the wizard's room. Sahara plunked herself in the chair next to the bed and the wizard extracted his astral being. She yawned and promptly went to sleep with the Sword of Omens still in her hand.

"I've seen a lot of weird stuff but today takes the cake," Lea said as she and Pali helped Cheetara into the other chair in the room which was across from the end of bed, up against the wall.

"Yup. Definitely enough to last a lifetime," the Mutant agreed.

"Well I guess that just depends on your "normal"," Wizz-Ra spoke up, finally back where he belonged in his own body.

"So how do we find the Rosencrest Medallion?" Cheetara asked.

"You're not going anywhere. Your daughter will need you when she wakes up and besides I can hear the ringing in your ears from here," Wizz-Ra shook his head.

"Can't fault a girl for trying," the cheetah said.

"No, that is true. Lea, it will be up to you and our good friend Pali to find the Medallion. You're going to have to use the Sword," the wizard told them.

"How? I mean I know how to use the Sword but I've never used it like a divining rod," the lioness admitted.

"The Sword is a mystical object as is the Medallion. You order the Sword to find the Medallion and it should take you to it. I don't know how long those sedatives will keep Zaxx down but we'll make sure that we keep him under for as long as it takes. I'm not strong enough yet to try and force Zaxx out and our window is closing. Once he takes over Lion-O's body completely, there won't be any stopping him," Wizz-Ra explained.

"No pressure," Pali swallowed.

"It's just me and you kid," Lea turned to him.


	16. Chapter 16

"So how does this work?" Pali asked once they exited the hospital. The lioness removed the Sword from the Claw Shield and shook her head.

"I guess we're going to find out. The bigger issue is that I'm not sure I'll be able to hold onto it once I start," she admitted.

"Let me get my wheels," the Mutant suggested. She nodded and Pali went off into the parking structure. Lea was beginning to wonder if she was strong enough for this. There was no room for error and no room for failure.

"Hop on," Pali said as he pulled up to the curb. Lea smiled slightly and hopped on the back of the Electro-charger and then raised the Sword above her head.

"Sword of Omens, find the Rosencrest Medallion," the Sword roared and it pointed them in the right direction though Lea could feel it wanting to slip her grasp. Pali started the siren and they took off like shot. Vehicles cleared out of their way as the travelled the streets of the capitol city.

"Where are we going?" Pali asked as they neared the city limits.

"I have no idea," Lea admitted as the Mutant continued to steer the vehicle. Soon they were outside the city and the roads were soon no longer paved. Luckily, the Electro-charger didn't need roads. When the Sword wanted them to head into the woods, Pali did as it said but he grew concerned that only he and Lea were out here, unsure of just what their foes had set up. Suddenly the Sword growled and stopped pointing. Pali took his foot off the gas and they idled for a minute.

"All righty. Now what?" Lea was confused.

"There's nothing here. Do we need to start digging?" The Mutant asked.

"I have no idea," the lioness hopped off the Electro-charger and ordered the Sword again,

"Sword of Omens, find the Rosencrest Medallion." Again the Sword just growled. Pali hopped off of the vehicle and started to walk around. The forest didn't seem to be any different than anyone would expect. Trees, grass, leaves, and wildflowers were everywhere and the sounds of wildlife made it seem so peaceful.

"What if Zaxx put a spell on the forest?" Pali suggested.

"He and Ta-She needed to get here somehow and I'm guessing that they used the crazy Mutant attack as cover," Lea frowned.

"Makes sense but they didn't fly in with them. All of those ships were either destroyed or taken into custody," the Evil Chaser pointed out.

"Exactly. However, did anyone ever check the escape pods?" The lioness wondered.

"Son of a…" Pali started.

"My thoughts exactly," Lea frowned before she put the Sword up to her face.

"Sword of Omens, give me Sight Beyond Sight!" She ordered. The forest fell away and it was replaced by a Mutant escape pod. Lea growled and then pulled the Sword away from her face.

"Find something?" Pali asked.

"Stand back," she said. The Mutant moved over to her and then Lea leveled the Sword at the forest and shouted,

"HO!" An energy blast shot out of the weapon and blasted the forest. As if by magic, the forest in front of them disappeared and there in its place was a Mutant escape pod.

"Son of a…" once again the Evil Chaser didn't finish as Lea ordered the Sword again,

"Sword of Omens, find the Rosencrest Medallion!" This time there was no confusion. The Sword pointed to the ship. Pali quickly pushed the button on the exterior and opened the ship. They headed inside and followed the Sword's guidance to a containment section. Opening the unit where the Sword pointed, Pali chuckled and pulled out the Rosencrest Medallion.

"Got you now Zaxx," Lea smirked.


	17. Chapter 17

"We found it," Lea announced to Pumyra as they entered the hospital. They had sped back as fast as they could, knowing that time was short.

"Excellent. Wizz-Ra is in with Lion-O. They had to sedate him again and Zaxx is growing stronger," the puma explained as they moved through the hospital. Despite being injured the puma was moving well and Lea wondered if it didn't have something to do with her adrenaline level.

"That doesn't sound good," Pali said.

"Oh it gets better. Sahara has to help Wizz-Ra. He's not at full strength and Ta-She made a mess out of Cheetara's head. Wizz-Ra thinks that because Zaxx is still here, he's trying to hold onto Ta-She. Cheetara is his only link and he's refusing to let go," Pumyra shook her head.

"Great Jaga's toothbrush," Lea cursed.

"You guys really need to explain that one to me," Pali said, trying to infuse the moment with a little humor as they neared their destination.

"Not to worry, we have a plan," the puma smirked as she opened the door to the hospital room.

"Excellent work you two. Now, I need your help," Wizz-Ra smiled from his chair next to Lion-O's hospital bed.

"What can we do?" Pali asked.

"I'm going to need you to kiss Cheetara and I need Lea to give Sahara the Sword," the sorcerer said nonchalantly.

"Pardon?" The Mutant went white.

"Well at least I have an easy job," the lioness handed the Sword over to Sahara who smiled at her aunt.

"I need you to enrage Lion-O. He's buried deep in there but if Cheetara tells him through the psychic link that Zaxx has created, she needs him to save her, it might be enough to engage Zaxx on two fronts," Wizz-Ra explained.

"Lion-O knows I would never. Not that the Queen isn't lovely I…" Pali was beginning to dig himself a hole. Cheetara put a hand on his arm.

"It's only for show and to distract Zaxx. Right now, to him, Ta-She and I are one and the same. He's trying to bring her back and I'm doing all I can to fight her," she explained.

"For Thundera then," Pali nodded, the blush on his cheeks was still quite evident, as he went into one of his utility belt pockets and fished out some gum.

"You have to make it believable too, otherwise it won't work," Pumyra told him.

"Like Lea and Panthro when they were first dating, got it," the Mutant tossed another joke in there and this made the lioness blush.

"Great Jaga, what have I gotten myself into?" Cheetara teased. They were all incredibly nervous and this seemed to be a way to ease the tension although no one was sure it was working. Pali gave the cheetah a tight smile and Wizz-Ra gave a nod. The Mutant then got to work while Wizz-Ra used his magic to try and remove Zaxx from Lion-O's body.

"I can feel him fighting me," the sorcerer gritted his teeth.

"HO!" Sahara suddenly shouted and pointed the Sword at her father. The lion's body jolted as the Sword's beam hit him.

"Oh that pissed him off," Wizz-Ra smirked before calling out, "Back to the Rosencrest Medallion you unholy demon!" Lion-O's body started to thrash about and Pali pulled away from Cheetara just before the lion roared.

"Come on Lion-O! Fight!" Lea shouted at him. Wizz-Ra started chanting in his ancient language and everyone in the room watched as Zaxx and Lion-O began to separate. Again Sahara called out to the Sword,

"HO!" Her normally small voice seemed incredibly loud in the room as the Sword sent another blast of energy to its usual handler. This blast was enough to finally pull the two apart and Zaxx fell into the Rosencrest Medallion. Lion-O collapsed back on the bed, unconscious.

"It worked!" Sahara smiled.

"Now the only thing left to do is to banish the Rosencrest Medallion. I'm not sure that sending it back to where it came from will be enough," Wizz-Ra frowned.

"So what do we do?" Lea wanted to know.

"I will take it back with me when I go. Perhaps the Gods will have a better idea," he told them.

"Good. Now how mad do you think Lion-O's going to be?" Pali asked, concerned about his own well-being, now that the major problem was solved.

"You might want to see how Mandora is doing and we'll head him off at the pass when he wakes up," Pumyra suggested. He nodded and quickly bowed his head before practically running out the door.

"Are you chewing his gum?" Lea asked Cheetara to which the cheetah just blushed.


	18. Chapter 18

Needless to say, Lion-O was not in a good mood when he woke up. The one saving grace for Pali was the fact that the Lion was exhausted. The battle with Zaxx had been a long one and the only thing for it was sleep.

Two days would pass before Wizz-Ra was well enough to journey back to the Astral Plane in which he resided. He had helped Cheetara recover from Ta-She and Zaxx's interference. The cheetah was incredibly grateful that she could now function. Wizz-Ra promised to speak to his Gods to see what he could do to help explain Sahara's incredible power. While she was Cheetara's daughter and would naturally have some similar powers, they both believed that she was even more powerful.

After Wizz-Ra left, Lion-O knew that he had to address the people of New Thundera. There needed to be time to heal and rebuild. Luckily, they had friends that were there to help. President Zhukov was feeling better and had made calls to President Mwende. Mars was sending help in the form of doctors and builders. They were also sending relatives of President Kachi. The older man was still in bad shape and the doctors hoped they could help not only the Mohawk leader but also anyone else who needed it.

The Evil Chasers had radioed headquarters and were ordered to stay put, which they gladly did. Mandora might have had a broken shoulder and broken ribs but she was still a handful and Captain Tiberius had to actually give her an order to stand down. Alexei had been moved into her room and he wasn't about to get up and stop her. His head wound was more severe than was originally thought and it was making everyone more nervous than they cared to admit. The doctors were going to run more scans and keep Lion-O informed.

Later that night, after Cheetara and Lion-O got the kids into bed in their hotel room, the two climbed into their own bed. The local hotel had given the royal family an entire suite so they had their own bedroom and the two were glad for some privacy. It had been a long day and the future was looking full of these kind of days.

"You really need to let poor Pali off the hook," Cheetara said, snuggling into his side.

"He…" Lion-O started as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Was doing his job. You know that he is loyal to the Evil Chasers and loyal to us, us maybe even more so at this point. Without him, we'd be in serious trouble right now," the Cheetah reminded him.

"I do know. The primal part of me still smarts though," the Lion admitted.

"You're the only one for me. You know that too," she kissed his cheek.

"I know," he smiled and kissed her temple.

"You think we'll make it through?" She asked.

"The peoples of New Thundera are much stronger than they seem. I hope my words today instilled hope. While we grieve for the dead, I hope that their deaths will have meaning and push us on toward a better future," he said.

"We will be having a lot of funerals in the coming weeks. We'll get through it though, we always do," Cheetara reassured him.

"We do," Lion-O gave her a squeeze.

"Time for bed. The kiddos will be up before we know it," she said.

"Oh I know it," he chuckled. Still the lion wondered just how much sleep he'd really be getting. His mind did not shut off easily lately and everything that was in his mind constantly cycled through all that had been going on.


	19. Epilogue

"That was the last funeral, right?" Lea asked, as the ThunderCats met inside the hotel conference room. Lion-O had called to order the meeting to go over some things and to see how everyone was doing after the last ThunderGuard funeral. It had been three weeks since the King had spoken to his people and things were moving along on the rebuilding front but the funerals were taking emotional tolls on all of them.

"Jaga, I hope so," Li-en said as he took a seat next to his wife. Cavan was feeling better but the sadness of the funerals had been taking a toll on her, which the doctors expected given her brain was trying to recover.

"Regrettably, there is one more to attend. President Kachi died last night. Pali and his parents are escorting the body back to Mars as we speak, where he will receive a traditional Mohawk burial. Outsiders are not allowed at the ritual portion but we have been invited to attend the ceremony that President Mwende is holding," Lion-O explained.

"That's awful. How is Pali holding up?" Pumyra asked.

"As well as you'd expect. Mandora and Alexei going with him since the tribe sees her as one of their own. The doctors cleared both of them for the journey which in Alexei's case is fairly remarkable," the Lion said. The Russian had suffered a bleed in his brain not long after the Martian doctors had landed on New Thundera and everyone thought he wasn't going to make it.

"When do we leave?" Panthro wanted to know.

"Mwende has sent a transport for us. It should be here within a few hours. After the meeting, I suggest everyone packs. The children will be in good hands with Snarf while we're gone. Which brings me to the next question…" the King paused.

"Lak is living up to his namesake. The doctors are hoping to release him into our care in the next few days," Ben-Gali smiled.

"Excellent news," Cheetara smiled as the others voiced their agreement.

"He's tough like his father," Pumyra smiled back.

"That he is. I'm glad to hear it. There is only one piece of business left to attend to," Lion-O motioned to the ThunderGuard solider at the door and the Lynx nodded before disappearing into the hallway. He was back moments later with Punthar, who was in a wheelchair due to his broken right arm and broken left leg. The puma had a confused look on his face and didn't get to voice his questions before Lion-O spoke up.

"This crazy puma has shown that he is more than capable of handling whatever is thrown at him and proven that he has the heart of a warrior. All in favor of Punthar becoming a full-fledged ThunderCat, say aye," the Lion announced.

"Aye!" Resounded from the group, with none objecting.

"Congratulations Punthar. The minute you're able to be out of that wheelchair, you start training," the King smiled.

"I don't know what to say," the Puma couldn't believe it.

"Just promise us, you'll be the best ThunderCat you can be. But first, promise us you'll get better," Lion-O said.

"Yes, sir," Punthar nodded.

"Excellent. Then this meeting is adjourned," with that the parties when their own separate ways until it was time to board the transport to Mars. There was still a lot to be done and it never strayed far from their minds how close they had come to not being there at all. It was part of their job description and they wouldn't have it any other way.

**The End**


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